Sometimes Friends?
by PureRain-Lily
Summary: What do you do when your best friend is someone you've cared deeply about for a long time? Are Kira and Hinamori destined to be Best Friends Forever? Or can there ever be something more between them. KiraHina *Story is better than summary
1. Chapter 1

**So… I decided to take a break from my other story to write a bit of fluffiness. *If that's what it is…* Anyway. I noticed there was a severe lack of KiraHina stories, so I created this one. As of right now, it's still a baby… So I could use the help of you lovely people to review and give advice.**

**Disclaimer: Of course I own no rights to Bleach.**

**Please Enjoy **

… …

It would be foolish of him to stay here much longer. Squad 5 was passing through the front gates of their barracks. Kira stood quietly in the alleyway to avoid any unnecessary attention, arms folded across his chest. When the gates had been closed for a considerable amount of time, he made his was back through the winding streets. He was far too busy thinking about her to notice the soul reaper coming running up behind him. Two hands pressed hard against his back and pushed him down to the ground.

Thankfully he was able to catch himself with one hand, the other reaching instinctively for his katana… That is, until he heard a familiar voice. "Ohayo Kira-kun!" Momo called happily. Kira smiled and stood back up, brushing the dust off his uniform. Turning to face her he was surprised by the enormous smile on her face. The sunlight glimmered across her dark black hair.

"Good morning, Hinamori-kun…" he replied quickly.

"Were you following me?" Kira was horrified. She had noticed him after all… As he thought of a reply, she laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"You are. I'm not mad or anything. Just curious."

"Oh well… I… um…" He looked down, as if the ground might be able to provide the proper response.

"Anyway…" she said cheerfully, "did you need to talk to me? I was really busy with patrol, so…" she added with a finger pointed up to the sky, "I decided I should follow you to be sure."

"So, you were following me, because I was following you?"

"Exactly."

As Kira considered the situation, he realized just how much he enjoyed her company. Hinamori was a kind, fun, and thoughtful person. But it was impossible for him to think they would be anything more than 'just friends.'

"Kira? Oi… Kira?" He realized she had been impatiently snapping her fingers in front of his face. "Are you spacing out on me?"

"N-No, Hinamori-kun.. I was… thinking. Maybe… we could um…"

"Lieutenant Hinamori!" A tall blonde soul reaper came running towards them. Her hair was tied in a ponytail that swayed with her movements. She came to a sudden halt in front of her superior, bowing in respect. When she noticed Kira she bowed a second time before continuing. "Lieutenant Hinamori, orders from Head Captain. We need to assist Squad 7 with some rouge hollows near the West Rukongai.

Hinamori nodded and turned to Kira. "Work stuff I guess," she said while placing her hands on her hips. "Can we talk later?"

"S-Sure. Good luck, Hinamori-kun." He gave a slight bow as the small soul reaper took off with her subordinate. The two were gone in a few quick flash-steps.

Kira waited a few moments as the dust circled him before settling to the ground at his feet. Sighing, he continued to his original destination, the comfort of his office. Silently he wished that Shuhei or Matsumoto would stop him along the way, offer to buy him a drink… or even try to guess what was giving him such a sour expression.

He quickly shrugged the thought from his mind.

Not quite ready to head back to the barracks, he decided to walk through the woods directly behind the main courtyard. Following a familiar path he sat down beside the small pond, leaning back against the trunk of the maple tree. Closing his eyes provided momentary relief from the thoughts that were swarming in his head.

Some things just took time…

"Oi, Kira? You alive over here?" Hisagi's voice was unusually loud today. Kira reluctantly opened his eyes and stood up from behind the tree, placing one hand on it for support.

"I'm right here, Hisagi-san, no need to shout." Hisagi smiled and walked over. He slapped his friend on the back.

"Well then. Cheer up. 'Cause I'm taking you out."

… …

**Thank You Very Much for your time. Please review. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to my readers for being patient… I was going through a rough time here these last few days. And let's just say that updating was the farthest thing from my mind. Please enjoy this latest chapter **

**:: SoraWithAnX :: thanks for the review, it made my day. I love KiraHina, I love the idea of them together. **

If only there was a quicker way to get paperwork done… Hinamori pushed the relatively large stack off the edge of the desk – enjoying the fluttering sound as each piece followed the previous one to the hardwood floor. Her head was swirling with thoughts about the day's activities; and as the sun began to set she wondered if she should try to forget about them the easy way.

With a determined smile she stood up and walked through the sliding door to her private quarters. In front of the full-length mirror she examined her appearance… yup…she had definitely been running through the woods all afternoon.

Taking her hair down, she let it fall around her shoulders. And, after she had showered and towel-dried her hair she moved to the closet – selecting a peach colored kimono tied with a pale yellow sash.

Not really an ideal outfit for a night out drinking, but she pushed the thought from her mind for now. It was comfortable, and she liked the way the silk felt on her skin. And, as she made her was from the barracks apartments she saw the eyes of several squad members following her movements. Another confident smile crossed her lips.

When she reached the bar, she noticed that there was a large group of soul reapers already laughing away at a round table in the corner. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Kira look up and meet her gaze. Both of them quickly looked away, either embarrassed or startled or some other thing. Unfortunately Matsumoto, dressed in a dark-blue cloth kimono, called out to her. Momo nodded and hesitantly made her way over to the group.

She saw Iba, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Hisagi, Renji and of course Matsumoto. But her gaze dropped when she noticed the frown appear on Kira's face. Was he really that unhappy about seeing her? She was certain he was about to ask her something earlier. Maybe it was serious… too serious to share with a group of unruly friends.

"You clean up nice," Matsumoto commented with a smile. Momo blushed and glanced back at Kira.

"Very lovely," Yumichika added in agreement. Hisagi, seated beside her, gave her a playful push with his fist which made her laugh.

"Thank you everyone," another blush… this time Momo reached out in front of her for the Sake bottle. After pouring some into her small cup, she held the liquid to her lips, enjoying that aroma before sipping it slowly.

When she had consumed enough to considerably lessen her stress, Momo stood slowly. She was shocked when Kira stood up quickly after her – nearly falling over in the process.

He walked over and held out his arm. A considerable number of chuckles erupted from the group, but Momo didn't care. She took his arm and the two walked out into the crowded streets. It was early enough in the evening that no one wanted to retire just yet.

Kira held her hand in his own to keep her steady. She may have drank a bit too much. But then, he really wasn't one to talk. As they approached the Squad 5 barracks, two or three squad members came up to them from Kira's left. Momo's eyes were unfocused, but she could hear the two men questioning Kira and it made her rather upset. She patted his hand so he would release her as she stood straight.

"Goodnight, gentlemen," she stated with venom in her voice.

"Yes, Lieutenant," they bowed and quickly went on their way.

Momo smiled, and Kira couldn't help but admire her. Feeling confused and mildly dizzy, Kira wasn't sure what he should do next. Fortunately, he didn't have to think for very long.

"Well goodnight Kira-Kun!" she rushed off, wobbling slightly, but managing to keep herself upright.

"G-good n-night, Hinamori-kun." He more or less whispered back. But just as she was about to close the doors behind her, Kira caught it with his palm.

"Is something the matter?"The look in her eyes was mix of curiosity and sleepiness. Perhaps he shouldn't bother her. She needed her beauty rest, pun intended.

"I was wondering, well I meant to ask you… the thing is… Sometime, w-would you like to…"

"Can this wait, Kira-kun? I think my head is about to burst open," she reached up with one hand and grabbed a small portion of her hair and sighed – almost an 'it's the end of the world sigh.' Kira couldn't help but smile a little at her attitude.

"I suppose it can." He nodded. "Would you like me to assist you in making some tea? Perhaps it would help you sleep."

"No, I will be alright," she smiled again and bounced off toward her room. The door closed in Kira's face. Despite the events of the day, he was still hoping to have the chance to talk to her.

As he walked back to his own office, he noticed a very familiar individual walking toward him. Captain Hitsugaya was mumbling something under his breath about Matsumoto being out too late, which made him smile.

"Good evening, Captain," Kira said with a slight bow.

"Uh huh." He replied without much effort.

"Rough night, Captain?"

"No more than usual." He sighed before continuing on. Kira watched as he pushed open the door to the Squad 5 barracks, then pulled the door closed behind him.

"I guess there's nothing to do now but head home," Kira said as he looked up at the dark sky. The moon was reflecting enough light for him to see the path that lead through the woods. The only sound was the rough breeze rustling the leaves on the trees.

**Please review… offer suggestions… thanks a bunch **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi Everyone! Thanks for your patience with this one. There has been a lot going on. I promise to have the next chapter up much sooner : ) Please enjoy and don't forget to review, thanks.**

Staring at the mess in his apartment did nothing for Kira's sour mood; however, he was far too exhausted to do anything at such a late hour. Instead of heading for the bedroom, he collapsed on the pale green couch in the living room. Crossing his arms over his chest he was asleep in less than five minutes.

…

_The aroma was intoxicating; there were millions of wild daisies in full bloom. Their colors were fantastic. Kira held out his hand, which Momo took willingly. She smiled up at him, as her free hand tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. _

_He knelt down slightly, until he was able to reach a peach colored daisy. Standing again he moved to tuck the colorful flower in her ponytail. She laughed as she reached up to touch it. Her fingers lightly traced the outline of each petal. _

"_Are you happy?"Kira asked her with a serious expression on his face. She didn't answer right away. Instead she released his hand and began to run through the field of flowers. Occasionally she turned as she was running to look back at him; this made her ponytail whip around, momentarily covering her eyes or mouth. _

_Rather than let her get too far away, Kira began to sprint after her. When she stopped to rest by a tree he wrapped his arms around her waist. He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Are you happy, Hinamori-kun?"_

"_Kira…I…"_

…

There was a loud bang, and Kira woke instantly. He reached down instinctively where his Zanpaktou was lying on the floor. He pulled the blade from its sheath and stood perfectly still. The office was pitch black still, it was early in the morning.

He moved to the window.

There was another loud bang. He realized it was coming from the door. But why wouldn't they be knocking? Suddenly there was shouting, and the sound of blows being exchanged. He pulled the door open, with Wabisuke held low. Standing in the hallway, he is surprised to see that five or six men were causing a commotion, obviously over some game they had been playing. Perhaps someone had lost a bet. It would be nothing new to Kira. He sheathed his katana and held out his hand for order.

"Please, men," He said just loudly enough to be heard, but not loud enough to where he was yelling. "This needs to end so that everyone can get some sleep."

"Yes, Lieutenant," the men replied simultaneously. Kira frowned. The second he closed the door the fighting would continue. It would be that way all morning long.

"Thank you," he said with a little more firmness in his voice. Perhaps he just needed to be stricter with them. But that was another matter entirely.

…

In the morning he decided to invite Momo out for coffee. The two had often found spending time together before work to be an enjoyable experience. It was like they were back in the Academy again.

"Good morning!" came Hinamori's cheerful voice as she ran up to him. Kira couldn't help but smile. She was wearing her full uniform, and was absently tugging at her Lieutenant's insignia as she came to a stop.

"Good morning, Hinamori-kun." He walked the rest of the way over and the two walked side-by-side to their favorite little café.

When they had been sitting for a while, Kira glanced across the table. She was frowning slightly, a look of deep concentration in her normally kind eyes. Pursing his lips together he questioned silently if he should bother her. Deciding against it, they remained silent for a while longer.

"Kira-kun?" Her voice was quiet, but he had been paying close attention.

"Yes?"

"Do you sometimes wonder if this is all going to get better?" She kept her eyes low, so she did not see the look of shock cross his face. Kira stumbled over his own thoughts for a second before deciding on what to say.

"Optimism aside, I find that I can only live day to day." He reached out absently for the mug in front of him. Bringing it up to his lips, he could smell the sweet aroma of the tea – it's warmth reassured him slightly.

"I see," she replied quietly. "But… do you wonder what might happen next. Everything is different now that we're on our own." She traced the rim of her own mug with two fingers.

"But… we're not really," he said slowly… "On our own, that is…" Gently, Kira reached out and placed his hand on top of hers. She didn't move. Instead, she wove her fingers through his, a small smile came across her lips.

It was all too sudden for him to believe. Was it possible he was dreaming still. No. This was far too real. The soft skin that was brushing against his own.

But he had to keep those thoughts out of his mind. Hinamori was in need of support. It was his duty to remain stoic for her, to stay strong. He must show her that she could rely on him.

"Kira-kun." She lifted her head to look into his eyes. "I'm so glad I have you to talk to. I really don't know what I would do without you." She gently squeezed his hand. He quickly looked down to see her release her hand from his. As she stood, he followed after her.

And, as they walked toward the barracks, Kira never took his eyes off of her.

**Once again…thank you for reading. Please leave comments and suggestions in the appropriate reviewing area. THANKS : )**


	4. Chapter 4

**So, here's a special treat for you. Let's take a break from the everyday for a minute or two. Enjoy this little snippet as Soul Society prepares for the annual ball. Who are you taking this year? :)**

**:: Special Chapter :: Will You Be My Date?**

If there was an event more anticipated in all of Soul Society, he couldn't think of it at the time. Kira stood with his arms folded across his chest, staring at the magnificent posters in front of him. They were plastered all over the wall outside of the small café the next morning. He placed an elbow on his other hand, resting his chin upon his palm.

"This could be a problem…" he thought aloud.

As he walked toward the café, a small hand caught him by the shoulder. A gasp escaped his lips without permission. Then there was laughter.

"Good morning!" He didn't need to turn around.

"Good morning Hinamori-kun. I'm s-sorry I forgot to come get you today."

"It's okay."

"I've just been feeling a bit… out of it lately, that's all."

"Oh, is that all?" She laughed again as she took his hand. "Shall we get something to eat?" He nodded, and couldn't help but notice that her eyes wandered to the posters behind them as they entered the café together.

"So…" she said simply as she sat in the chair opposite him. "I have a serious problem. I asked Shiro-chan, but he was less than helpful as usual."

"I see," he noticed immediately that he was biting his nails and quickly shoved his hands down over his knees. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden?

"But I wanted to ask if you knew anyone that…"

"Will you come to the dance with me? Hinamori-kun?" His hands immediately flew up to cover his mouth. Had he really just shouted that in the middle of this crowded place? He could feel the stares of so many people. _Damn it! _ He cursed himself over and over in his mind.

She blinked several times before smiling once more. He watched as she slowly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Her cheeks turned the slightest shade of red. No… it was more like a shimmering pink.

Finally, she looked him in the eyes, those deep brown eyes that he loved. And she nodded – a simple decisive nod that answered everything.

"Yes, Kira-kun. I would love to go to the dance with you!" As if on cue she raced out of the café.

"W-where are you…?" His sentence never was finished, nor did it get an answer.

… … **2 Days Later … …**

"This w-was a h-huge mistake, Hisagi-san…" Kira stumbled as he fidgeted with the deep green tie around his neck.

"Let me help you before you choke yourself," Hisagi replied with a smirk on his face. He moved forward and took the tie between his hands – then gently tightened the knot.

"What do I say to her?"

"You don't really need to say anything."

"But I'm not that great of a dancer."

"Maybe she's not either."

"But what if she asks me to get her a drink? What should I get…?"

"Just shut up, would you?" Kira stood there shocked as Hisagi placed both hands on his friend's shoulders.

"O-okay," he replied in a whisper.

"She's already going with you. There's nothing to worry about. I know that's saying a lot, but it's true. Just enjoy yourself." With a reassuring smile and a slight nod, Hisagi quickly stepped out of the room.

Kira had already planned a rebuttal, but was left there alone.

Letting out a heavy sigh, he moved to stand in front of the mirror. He stood perfectly still, taking it all in. The black suit was complimented well by his light blue shirt and dark tie. He took several deep breaths before making his way out into the hallway.

Several squad members passed him by, some nodded while others bowed slightly. They were all in the process of getting ready for the dance. Kira had to remind himself several times to draw his shoulders back – '_I need to act confident_,' he told himself.

Soul Society, so normally quiet this time of night, was alight with colors and sounds. It was almost bright like the daytime. The contrast against the dark black sky was amazing.

Like his own squad, the Squad 5 barracks were alive with activity. Men and women were helping each other with ties, flowers, and elaborate hairstyles.

He nodded to each one in turn. Then he saw something that took his breath away.

Her hair was done in tight curls that fell loosely around her face, her bangs had been curled as well. The rest of her dark hair was held in a loose bun. She smiled when she saw him and immediately started his way. Her gown was brilliant silver that got darker as it reached down to touch the floor. The straps crossed in an oval above her chest and wove around the back of her neck. Finally, a simple diamond bracelet sat nicely on her wrist.

He turned a little as she approached him, holding out his arm. She wound hers around his outstretched arm and looked up at him. "You're early," she said.

"O-of course." _Great_, he thought,_ talking might be a problem after all. _

"Well, let's go then." As they made their way from the barracks, several girls called out to Hinamori. She just smiled and tilted her head back toward them. The look was so cute on her, Kira could hardly stand it.

And as they approached the dance hall, under the shadow of Squad 1's main building, several people stopped and stared. Kira tried keeping his head low, sure that they were only looking at Hinamori. But she was quick to scold him.

"Please stop," she said while lightly brushing his arm with her free hand. "Let's have a great time, right?" There was that look again.

He nodded. "Right." _Okay,_ he thought,_ I may be able to really pull this off._

The hall was crowded, but using expert navigation, Hinamori managed to make her way directly to the dance floor. She moved one hand to Kira's waist, holding one of his hands in the other. He copied her movements exactly.

"Kira-kun!" she teased, "you shouldn't follow the girl's lead." He was startled. It was what he was worried about. He would need to lead the dance.

The band was starting up the second song… a salsa. Hinamori smiled. "Good practice," she said happily – and held out one hand. Kira looked around anxiously and was relieved to see that Hisagi was only a few couples away. Not only that, but his friend was purposely slowing down his movements so that Kira could watch. With a deep sigh, Kira took Hinamori's outstretched hand, and stepped forward slowly. To his surprise, she stepped back out of instinct. _Yes,_ he thought. He really could do this.

With his new found courage he managed to lead through the entire song. As the final note came, Kira pulled Hinamori out of a spin and into his open arms, reaching out to take one hand. His other slid around her back to rest just below her waist. She laughed and lifted one foot high into the air as he dipped her low.

They stayed that way for quite a few moments – until Kira turned a slight shade of red. He pulled her back up to her feet, letting go of her waist and hand.

"Wow, Kira-kun! That was amazing!" She had her hands clasped together in front of her in her excitement.

It was then that Kira realized the many eyes that were on him…no…both himself and Hinamori. Then he heard a deafening sound. Everyone was clapping. Even Hisagi, so appropriately stern on most days, was beaming at him. Kira stood there in the center of the crowd as Hinamori reached out and took his hand. She bowed deeply, taking him with her. He couldn't help but laugh. It was the most fun he had had in a long time.

With Hinamori. No. With Momo by his side… Everything could really get better after all.

"Thank you, Hinamori-kun," he whispered in her ear.

**Please Review… Thank you so much for reading. And thanks to all my reviewers. I really appreciate you all :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello Y'all :)  
>Sorry this update took so very long : But I promise to try harder now, classes have been a bit tough lately. Please enjoy and review this chapter, Thanks :D**

She reached up and wound her arms around Kira's neck. He reached down and pulled her closer to him. Their lips touched lightly and both Kira and Momo pulled back for a second, glancing into each other's eyes with curiosity. But they soon found the confidence to try again. And, for several minutes, passion overtook unease, and love overpowered caution. Momo could feel the eyes, so could Kira, as people passed by with judging looks. A collective desire allowed them to ignore what was happening around them.

When Momo pulled back, he did the same. Kira leaned down and kissed her forehead, then her dark hair, and finally each of her cheeks. She was already blushing. The crowds had died down as squad members were returning to their barracks. With their fingers entwined, Kira walked Momo back to her apartment. "Kira?" Momo said when they had walked for a while through the trees.

"Yes?" He replied, lifting her hand with his to kiss it softly.

"How long have you loved me?" He was shocked by the question, Because, he realized, he had no certain answer.

"Something happened the first time I saw you."

"That's cheating, Izuru." He flinched when she whispered his name.

"I guess you could say since you entered the academy. When I saw how… confident you were. I really admired you then."

"Since way back then? And is it true to say that you loved me at once?"

"It was as close to love as I had ever been. Bearing in mind I lived a rather structured life." She nodded, satisfied with his response, and held his hand more tightly.

"I never knew I would feel this way about you," she said quietly. Something within him was hurt by her words. "But knowing how you felt puts my heart at ease."

"Momo," she looked up at him, "We may not have been certain of each other in the past. But we have each other now. I am convinced that we happened for a reason."

"That _we_ happened," she repeated under her breath, before a smile lit up her face.

"Can I ask you a question, Momo?"

"Of course you can." She replied, looking into his eyes with such a strong loving gaze.

"What is it that you like about me?" Momo's smile faded as she understood what he had just said. Her inner thoughts were running wild – _He said "like" not "love." Gosh, why am I seeing Gin's face now? How often must I repeat this with Kira before he believes me? _– Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself to repeat the words she had said so many times before.

"Izuru," she began. Turning, she took both of his hands in hers. "You are the kindest and most loyal man that I have ever met. I admire the way you treat everyone as you would a close friend; and you never have a harsh word to raise against anyone. And I love you more than you will ever know." It took him a minute to take in what she said. But, rather than answering, he nodded.

Momo released his hands before pulling herself close to him – her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. The smell of maples and wind-blown grass greeted her. And, to her pleasure, Kira held her to him in return – arms tight around her shoulders. "I wish times like these could last forever," she whispered against his chest. When he didn't reply she looked up – only to see his glance was far off into the distance.

"Izuru?" she said calmly, placing a hand on his chest, just over his heart. "Is something wrong?"

"Something's not right, for sure," he replied more to himself. Momo frowned and let him go. He looked at her for a brief moment before rushing off to Squad 3's barracks. Momo released a heavy sigh and stood looking after where he went. Kira was a dedicated Lieutenant; he gave everything for his squad. And yet, these disturbances were happening more and more frequently – they had little to no respect for him. She could only think of one, Kira's fourth-seat Takao Hilako. The two had become quite close since the war had ended.

… …

Kira shoved his way through the crowd. Men whom he didn't recognize stared at him as he entered, as though challenging the idea that he belonged among them. Others from his own squad shouted at him. They shouted his name, proclaimed innocence, or asked for help. He held up his hand for silence and continued forward. When he reached the center he saw three men. One was lying unconscious on the pavement, the other was being held tight, wrists held firm behind his back by the third man. Kira looked him over and smiled. The young man was of strong build, with dark black hair that fell to his shoulders in messy curls. The man returned his Lieutenant's gaze with deep blue eyes.

"Lieutenant Kira!" he shouted suddenly.

"Can you tell me what happened, Hilako?" the man nodded quickly.

"Yes, Sir. I came upon these two brawlin' for no reson, An' I quickly intervened. Apparently there was some sort of accusation, but I just arrived here myself."

"I understand." Kira folded his arms across his chest. "Put them in my offices. I will see each one separately." Hilako nodded and waved the third seat forward to help him. As the two moved the men into separate rooms, Kira addressed the crowd. "It's time for you all to leave here now," he said firmly. "We…no… I have everything under control." The crowd seemed hesitant, as if they were stuck in place. "Go. Now!" he repeated.

There was grumbling and bickering as the men dispersed. And, for a second, Kira thought he saw Momo's face at the back of the group. There was a broad smile on her face before she turned and walked away.

**Really enjoyed writing this chapter. Something that has been on my mind lately is how Kira can change to lead his Squad better. And who else could help him, but Momo. **

**Please review… Thanks :D**


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